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I try to be positive here on Midtown Lunch… and I freakin’ love this city. The food is amazing, and there’s no better place to be a “Midtown Lunch’er”. But as much as I love most of the food in L.A. (and will defend it to the death against any outsiders, or natives with an inferiority complex) there are some things about lunching in this town that really annoy me. Here are 7 of them, LAist style, for your enjoyment…

In a terrible blow to Food Court fans and Westside Korean fried chicken lovers, the Kyochon in the Fox Hills Mall Food Court has closed. As a food court fanatic and Korean fried chicken fan who lives on the westside, it’s a double blow. It’s hard to believe that, with all the complaining people do about the lack of authentic Asian food on the Westside, Kyochon couldn’t survive. What’s even more upsetting is the realization that if Kyochon couldn’t make it, what chance does 101 Noodle Express have. And, really, what chance does any great food court in L.A. have. Fox Hills Mall was supposed to be that beacon of light, showing the path to other crappy mall food courts (I’m looking at you Beverly Center.) It’s enough to set a guy off…

6 more things I hate about L.A. right now, are after the jump.

2. I cannot believe this costs $8 from a place on Virgil. If food is local, shouldn’t it be affordable for locals! I get it. Great bread. Local fruit. Fresh ricotta. None of those things are cheap. But who can afford this for breakfast every day… which sucks, because I WANT TO EAT THIS FOR BREAKFAST EVERY DAY. I wouldn’t be so mad if it weren’t so damn good. I guess I’ll just have to file this under worthwhile splurge.

3. Maybe it’s my fault for eating Chinese food from a food truck that is operated by the owners of a famous Indian food truck- ok, it’s definitely my fault for eating Chinese food from a food truck that is operated by the owners of a famous Indian food truck. But what can I say. I’m a die hard fan of Chinese food in all forms, including the immensely popular but often maligned Americanized Chinese food. So when I see “Crunchy Wrap” stuffed with orange chicken, egg and spring roll I’m going to get excited (it’s also worth noting that the Indian truck in question is famous for its Indian wraps.) Now, arguing about the authenticity of Americanized Chinese food might seem strange to some, but certain items carry certain expectations amongst us fans. For example if you call something “Orange Chicken” it doesn’t need to have orange peel. Hell, it doesn’t even need to taste like oranges. What it does need is to be battered and deep fried and covered in a gloopy sauce. If it ain’t deep fried, it’s ain’t orange chicken. Luckily they made up for this sauteed chicken topped with sauce debacle by stuffing the wrap with a deep fried spring roll. Crisis averted. But it still isn’t orange chicken. I’m really surprised an Indian owned Chinese food truck didn’t know that.

4. The search for delicious versions of New York and Chicago pizza is hard enough in this town. Trying to pull of both under the same roof? That’s just insulting. Pick a side, and do it right boys. (The C stands for Chicago. Get it? Neither did I.)

5. I seriously cannot believe this exists. At a Farmer’s Market. In L.A. Wait, what am I talking about. Of course I believe this exists. At a farmer’s market. In L.A. I smell reality show!

6. If you spent any significant time living in Boston over the last 3 or 4 decades you have a right to get excited about the arrival of Dunkin’ Donuts in Los Angeles. Everybody else? You’re going to be disappointed, and not just by the doughnuts. Probably by the coffee as well. Having lived in Boston from 1994-2003 I’m a little excited, and justifiably be so. The rest of you- don’t say you weren’t warned.

7. I seriously can’t believe that banchan racism still exists. I thought for sure that once a white man won a pulitzer prize for writing (partially) about Asian food that maybe people like me (aka fat white man eating alone in Asian restaurants), would finally get the respect we deserve. That I wouldn’t have to degrade myself by asking for banchan that other tables were automatically getting. Forced to say to the waiter, “I know what you’re doing here. I see what you gave those other people, and I demand you give it to me too, because white people love free stuff and I’m greedy.” This aggression will not stand, man. And the revolution will not be blogged. Ok, maybe it will be.

4 Comments

The closing of Kyochon is sad news, but Westsiders should not despair. There’s even better KFC at BBQ Chicken on LeConte in Westwood. I’m addicted to the dry-spiced BB Wings (like the best Popeye’s spicy you ever tried) and the sweet and garlicky Teri-Q Wings. The spicy, sauced KFC could be a little spicier, but is otherwise outstanding, too. Everything is fried to order in olive oil, and the chicken is just absurdly juicy.

The banchan racism sucks, but consider that maybe they were giving all the banchan to non-Asians and they weren’t eating them? So they were like, why waste the food? It’s at least something to consider. Just ask for stuff…I have to ask for stuff all the time. Maybe it’s because I’m young, who knows. Asians don’t give a rats ass when it comes to food service…you can yell at them and tell them what to do, they don’t care. So at least that’s the other side of it.